two simple arguments for universal healthcare

#1)  a study came out recently about married people and happiness.  the researchers asked the participants who was happier, the subject or their spouses.  the interesting answer:  neither.  it turns out most couples' happiness is closely tied to the happiness (or unhappiness) of their spouse.  marriages have a collective happiness of sorts.  how does this relate to healthcare?  i believe we, as a society, have a collective health; the health of each individual has an effect on the health of all.  when we address the health needs of all our society members, our collective health will rise.  we will all benefit.

#2)  it is the right thing to do.  forget about whether it is constitutional or not, whether it is a privilege or a right, it is simply right. that is all we should need to move forward.

with that out of the way, we can move on to a single-payer system!

my computer has a twisted sense of humor

yesterday, i sent a script electronically for amoxicillin for a patient with strep throat.  a few hours later a got a call from the pharmacist because the script he received was for hemorrhoid cream, not amoxicillin as intended (i am not making this up!).  i have no idea how that happened but at least it was an obvious error.  a more subtle one may have gone unnoticed and that is scary to think about. okay, now this post isn't funny anymore.

all of my patients have excellent vision

my husband and i were measuring the hallway in my office lat night for some furniture we had to move, leading me to the realization that we've been putting our patients two feet closer to the eye chart than they should be.

ludicrosity abounds

if that is not a word then i must make its so, based on the paperwork a patient dropped off for me today.  the first was a form asking me to estimate the patient's medical expenses for the year, including dental, prescriptions, other doctor's visits, etc.  ask the patient, not me!  i'm her doctor, not her accountant.  the second was a form asking me to justify the disability detailed below.  the next part of the form was a series of blank lines. ??? !  somebody save me!

lost in translation

what i say:  "mr./ms. smith, you are due for a colonoscopy/blood test/mammogram.  here is a written order."

what they hear: "take this slip of paper, put it in your purse/wallet/pocket.  keep it there until next year so you can sheepishly retrieve it and show it to me when i ask you why you didn't get your test done."

bad name for a nursing home

i was delighted to hear that my patient who recently suffered a subdural hematoma after a fall will now be residing at the Great Falls nursing home.

a matter of semantics

when you are speaking to your friend, whose young child is about to undergo a delicate procedure, please do not ask, as my sister did, if he will have to be euthanized.  (we know you meant anesthetized!)